‘PM Modi worst victim of ideological intolerance’

In a long Facebook post, the minister said that while the Modi government was working hard to accelerate India’s growth, there were many who had not accepted the idea of BJP being in power. “There are many who have never intellectually accepted the idea of the BJP being in power. This obviously includes the Congress, many left thinkers and activists,” Jaitley said. He further said that “since 2002, the Prime Minister himself has been the worst victim of the ideological intolerance”.

Making a direct attack on the principal opposition party the Union Minister said: “Their strategy is twofold. Firstly, obstruct Parliament and do not permit reforms which will bring credit to Modi government. 

Secondly, create, by structured and organized propaganda, an environment that there is a social strife in India. They wish to project India as an intolerant society.” The truth is otherwise, Jaitley said, adding the perpetrators of this propaganda had never allowed alternative viewpoints to grow either in universities, academic institutions or cultural bodies which they controlled. “Their intolerance extends to not accepting an alternative ideological pole.”

Describing the Dadri lynching as a stray incident, Jaitley said: “Dadri was a stray incident. It was both unfortunate and condemnable. The guilty will be taken to task.  Notwithstanding such aberrations, India remains a highly tolerant and liberal society. Our cultural values have imbibed co-existence,” he said. “The obstructers have a simple plan - if they can’t fight politically, they fight with hostile propaganda,” Jaitley added.

Jaitley’s response was directed at over 40 prominent writers and 12 filmmakers including Dibakar Banerjee and Anand Patwardhan, who have returned their national awards to protest “growing intolerance in the country under Modi led government”.